ACU outlasts Hounds to take series

ABILENE, Texas — Eastern New Mexico University's potent offense, averaging more than seven runs a game, was kept in check for the third consecutive game on Saturday and Abilene Christian held on for a 4-2 Lone Star Conference victory.

ENMU (17-13, 5-7 LSC) outhit the Wildcats 9-8, but stranded 11 runners and dropped its third straight in the finale of the four-game series. The previous three contests were decided by one run.

Right-hander Ty Taylor (3-3) went 7 1/3 innings for ACU (21-12, 9-3), allowing eight hits. Closer Brady Rodriguez pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth, then stranded the tying runs on base in the ninth for his sixth save.

Third baseman Kyle Giusti drove in two runs for ACU with a groundout in the first and a single in the seventh.

The Hounds scored single runs in the seventh, on a two-out RBI single to right field by Luis Quinones, and the eighth, on Ryan Forkel's bases-loaded fielder's choice on a ball down the line that Giusti smothered and turned into a forceout.

Right-hander Ryan Boydstun (1-2) worked six innings for the Hounds, allowing just three hits and two runs.

Through 30 games, ENMU has either won or lost one game just once. The Hounds opened with four wins, lost one, then won seven in a row, lost nine straight and won six in a row before dropping the final three games of this series.